Mercury
Maximum permitted levels of mercury in bivalve molluscs, fish, and fishery products vary by species.
Maximum permitted levels
| Muscle meat of: | Maximum permitted level (mg/kg wet weight) |
|
|---|---|---|
|
England, Scotland and Wales |
Northern Ireland |
|
|
Crustaceans1, molluscs2 and fish except species listed below |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
Alaska pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
anchovy (Engraulis species) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
angler fish (Lophius species) |
1.0 |
0.5 |
|
Atlantic catfish (Anarhicas lupus) |
1.0 |
0.5 |
|
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
axillary seabream (Pagellus acarne) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
basa (Pangasius bocourti) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
bonito (Sarda sarda) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
carp (species belonging to the Cyprinidae family) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
cephalopods |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
dab (Limanda limanda) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
eel (Anguilla species) |
1.0 |
0.50 |
|
emperor, orange roughy, rosy soldierfish (Hoplostethus species) |
1.0 |
0.50 |
|
escolar (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
European flounder (Platichthys flesus) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
grenadier (Coryphaenoides rupestris) |
1.0 |
0.50 |
|
halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
kingklip (Genypterus capensis) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
mackerel (Scomber species) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
marine gastropods |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
marlin (Makaira species) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
megrim (Lepidorhombus species) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
mullet (Mullus species other than Mullus surmuletus) |
1.0 |
0.50 |
|
butterfish or oilfish (Ruvettus pretiosus) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus) |
0.5 |
1.0 |
|
pike (Esox lucius) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
pink cusk eel (Genypterus blacodes) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
plain bonito (Orcynopsis unicolor) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
pollock (Pollachius pollachius) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
poor cod (Tricopterus minutes) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
Portuguese dogfish (Centroscymnes coelolepis) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
rays (Raja species) |
1.0 |
0.50 |
|
red mullet (Mullus barbatus barbatus) |
0.5 |
1.0 |
|
redfish (Sebastes marinus, S. mentella, S. viviparus) |
1.0 |
0.50 |
|
roundnose grenadier (Coryphaenoides rupestris) |
0.5 |
1.0 |
|
sail fish (Istiophorus platypterus) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
saithe (Pollachius virens) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
salmon & trout (Salmo species and Oncorhynchus species, except Salmo trutta) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
sardine or pilchard (Dussumieria species, Sardina species, Sardinella species and Sardinops species) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
seabream or pandora (Pagellus species other than P. acarne, P.bogaraveo and P. erythrinus) |
1.0 |
0.50 |
|
shark (all species) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
silver scabbardfish (Lepidopus caudatus) |
0.5 |
1.0 |
|
snake mackerel (Gempylus serpens) |
0.5 |
1.0 |
|
sole (Solea solea) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypopthalmus) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
|
sturgeon (Acipenser species) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
surmullet (Mullus surmuletus) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
swordfish (Xiphas gladius) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
tuna (Thunnus species, Euthynnus species, Katsuwonus pelamis) |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
whiting (Merlangius merlangus) |
0.5 |
0.30 |
1. For crustaceans, the maximum level applies to muscle meat from appendages and abdomen, which means, that the cephalothorax of crustaceans is excluded. In case of crabs and crab-like crustaceans (Brachyura and Anomura) the maximum level applies to the muscle meat from appendages.
2.In the case of Pecten maximus, the maximum level applies to the adductor muscle and gonad only.
Regulatory framework
The relevant Regulation in England, Scotland and Wales is assimilated Regulation 1881/2006 as amended by The Contaminants in Food (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. In Northern Ireland the relevant regulation is Regulation (EU) 2023/915.
Scientific opinions on mercury exposure
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed the safety of inorganic mercury and methyl mercury in all food commodities in 2012 and updated its scientific opinion in 2018. EFSA adopted the provisional tolerable weekly intake of 4 μg/kg body weight (bw) for inorganic mercury that had been established by the Joint WHO/FAO Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
EFSA proposed a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) for methylmercury of 1.3 µg/kg bw, which is lower than JECFA's TWI of 1.6 µg/kg bw.
You can find out more about EFSA's Scientific Opinion on the risk for public health related to the presence of mercury and methylmercury in food via the link below:
In the UK, the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) provided its Statement on potential risks from methylmercury in the diet of infants aged 0 to 12 months and children aged 1 to 5 years in 2018.
The COT concluded, on the basis of the latest information, that it was prudent to leave current advice on the consumption of predatory fish unchanged (available from the NHS).
The COT’s Statement is available via the link below: